On Saturday, 18 April 2026, it's "cast off" again for culture enthusiasts in Hamburg: 53 museums, exhibition venues and memorial sites will open their doors from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. for the Long Night of the Museums. For maritime enthusiasts, this is a special opportunity to experience Hamburg's rich maritime history up close - and until late at night on the Elbe.
International Maritime Museum: 3,000 years of seafaring on nine decks
The International Maritime Museum is worth a visit for its location alone: in one of the oldest warehouses in the Speicherstadt, at the confluence of Magdeburg harbour and Brooktorhafen, it takes visitors through 3,000 years of international shipping history on nine exhibition decks. It houses the world's largest private maritime collection with more than 100,000 exhibits on 12,000 square metres.
On a total of nine decks, the museum is dedicated to the discovery of the world through navigation and communication. It shows how ships travelled and still travel around the world under sail, steam and diesel. It is dedicated to the history of merchant and passenger shipping as well as that of the navy and warships. Maritime culture can be discovered in numerous exhibits of marine painting and a treasure chamber with ships made of gold, silver and amber as well as the world's only collection of rare bone ships. More than 50,000 models show small ships, big ships and luxury yachts from all over the world. Finally, an "Expedition Sea" deals with the last secrets of the earth in the deep sea.
Special highlights: Visitors can take the helm themselves on a high-tech ship handling simulator and virtually manoeuvre a container ship through a busy port. The Queen of the Seas, the "Queen Mary 2", has been recreated with light and sound using a million Lego bricks. The motto for the Long Night 2026 is "Uncanny Sea" - with exciting guided tours such as "Mystical Sea - Legends, Mermaids and Sailors' Yarns", fencing battles, maritime fairy tales and music.
"Cap San Diego": The White Swan of the South Atlantic
For the Long Night, the "Cap San Diego" freshly spruced up: The world's largest seaworthy museum ship has just returned from its regular "ship MOT" at the BREDO shipyard in Bremerhaven at the end of March. Around 200 shipyard points were completed. The floating landmark of the Port of Hamburg is now back in top form and visitors can walk on brand new deck planks.
She is the last unit in a series of general cargo ships for the South American trade, the so-called "Cap San class". Because of their elegant shape, the ships designed by the well-known ship designer Caesar Pinnau were also nicknamed the "White Swans of the South Atlantic". The "Cap San Diego" was built in 1961/1962 at a shipyard in Hamburg-Finkenwerder as a cargo ship for the Hamburg Süd shipping company. For 20 years, it transported goods and passengers from Europe to South America and back again. The ship transported tea, tobacco and frozen and chilled meat, for example. She returned to Hamburg as a museum ship in 1986. What makes it special: The "Cap San Diego" still sails regularly from its berth at the Überseebrücke bridge down the Elbe towards the North Sea.
Programme for the Long Night 2026: A new multimedia exhibition "Cap San Diego and her history" opens in the former cargo hatches 1 & 2. It brings the past and technology of the legendary general cargo ship to life in an impressive way. The German Ocean Foundation presents a multimedia exhibition on the "Oceans" ecosystem in hatch 5.
Sing-along fans get their money's worth on the pool deck of the old lady. There, landlubbers and sea dogs sing songs together, supported by the "Singin' San Diego" choir. There is a speed pirate rally for families, and brave visitors can climb the mast together with the Schattenspringer team.
"Rickmer Rickmers": globetrotter made of steel
In an exposed location on the Sankt-Pauli landing bridges, the "Rickmer Rickmers" her hatches. The tall ship was launched in August 1896 at the shipyard of the Bremerhaven-based shipping company Rickmer Clasen Rickmers and was named after the shipyard owner's grandson. The sailing ship had three types of propulsion: Wind, steam and diesel - a technical speciality for its time.
The three-master left countless nautical miles in its wake between Germany, the Far East, the USA and South America - not without an adventure factor: in 1904, the ship lost its cross mast in a hurricane in the Indian Ocean. The crew narrowly managed to rescue it in Cape Town harbour. There it was re-rigged as a barque for cost reasons. During the First World War, the ship was confiscated and used as a sail training ship under the Portuguese flag. In the course of its history, it bore four names: Max, Flores, Sagres and Santo André, before it was given its original name "Rickmer Rickmers" again in 1983.
Hamburg Maritime Foundation & German Harbour Museum: Across the Elbe by barge
The German Harbour Museum and the Hamburg Maritime Foundation take visitors out onto the water: a launch shuttle runs every 20 minutes or so from the Sandtorhöft jetty to the Hansahafen - a short harbour tour through the Elbe at night. The destination: the listed ensemble of 50s sheds at Hansahafen, Hamburg's oldest preserved harbour facilities from the imperial era.
There are two maritime attractions here: Shed 50A houses the German Harbour Museum, a museum currently being set up by the Hamburg Historical Museums Foundation. On 2,500 square metres of display space, visitors can expect tattoo art, diving demonstrations and exciting insights into the interrelationships of global trade - the history of general cargo handling comes to life with original exhibits from port handling and shipbuilding.
The historic traditional ships of the Hamburg Maritime Foundation are moored directly at the Bremer Kai jetty. Established in 2001, the foundation preserves Hamburg's maritime heritage: historic ships, the 50s sheds, harbour cranes and the historic harbour railway. Over 1,700 volunteers look after the preservation and operation of these floating monuments. During the Long Night, visitors can explore ships such as the general cargo freighter "Bleichen", the pilot schooner No. 5 "Elbe" or the steam tug "Fairplay VIII" - all fully functional and lovingly restored.
One ticket - all ways free
Tickets for the Long Night of Museums cost 18 euros (concessions 12 euros); admission is free for children and young people under the age of 18. Tickets include free use of the hvv (rings A-F) on the day of the event from 4 pm to 6 am the following day, as well as the Long Night Bus Shuttle. There are special shuttle bus lines between the museums, a barge shuttle and the historic Hamburg S-Bahn between Altona and Bergedorf. Tickets are available here.
Also interesting: Museum harbour Ovelgönne - the maritime gem on the Elbe
The Museum harbour Ovelgönne does not officially take part in the Long Night, but is always worth a visit. The museum harbour is picturesquely situated on the Elbe in the Othmarschen district and is home to a unique collection of historic working ships that preserve the Hanseatic city's maritime heritage.
Restored barges, tugs, launches, fishing vessels and other traditional watercraft are moored here - authentic witnesses to Hamburg's harbour history. The volunteer members of the Museum Harbour Association lovingly look after the preservation of these floating monuments. The museum harbour can be easily reached from the Landungsbrücken jetty on the harbour ferry 62 - ideal for a day in the harbour with maritime flair. The "Lieger", the visitor centre on the Neumühler quay, provides further information on the history of the ships and the association.
The museum harbour is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. free of charge and is particularly well known for its Programme for major events such as the Hamburg Harbour Birthday. A real tip for anyone looking for authentic maritime flair and traditional harbour romance. When the sun is shining, you can relax on the Elbe beach and enjoy the view of the historic ships.
Other harbour cities also invite you
In Bremen, 31 museums and exhibition venues will also be opening their doors on 30 May 2026 from 6 p.m. to midnight for the Long Night of the Bremen Museums. The Bremen Harbour Museum is taking part and presenting the special exhibition "We are the river!", which invites visitors to take a fresh look at the Weser. There will also be short guided tours, a big Weser quiz and interesting facts from the world of tea, a museum rally and music.
Maritime enthusiasts from Kiel will have to wait a little longer. The next Museum Night on the fjord will take place on 28 August 2026. The detailed programme with all participating museums will be published in summer 2026.
Maritime museums all year round - tips for going ashore
For boaters, a visit to maritime treasures along the coasts is also worthwhile outside the museum nights - whether in bad weather or as a varied shore excursion programme. Here is a selection:
German Maritime Museum Bremerhaven: The German Maritime Museum in Bremerhaven is one of the most important maritime museums in Europe. Here, visitors experience a maritime journey through time from antiquity to the present day.
10 maritime museums worth seeing on the Baltic Sea: From Flensburg to Usedom - the Baltic Sea coast offers numerous maritime museums for the perfect harbour day. Harbour day tips for the Baltic Sea.
Museums for bad weather: If the weather doesn't play ball - these maritime museums offer shelter and exciting insights.
All museum ships and maritime museums from A to Z: The complete overview for your cruise planning - from Ahrenshoop to Zingst.
Insider tip for the inland area: Europe's first museum for toy ships in Mutzschen near Grimma (near Leipzig) displays more than 2,000 exhibits from 40 years of passionate collecting. Frenchman Claude Bernard, born in 1956, opened this unique museum together with his wife. From historic tin boats to modern RC models, everything is on display.
Ursula Meer
Redakteurin Panorama und Reise
